Folding crib



1.. HOFFMAN 2,570,445

FOLDING CRIB 2 Sheets-Sheet l U 0 x #5 W K m w Q...

1 R d 1 U m fir -Nm lllllll N Liw N 9) i "L" Nw Oct. 9, 1951 Filed June 2. 1949 M Gttornegs Oct. 9, 1951 HOFFMAN 2,570,446

' FOLDING CRIB Filed June 2, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Bnventor teach opp sedor similar p r of si e: emb

Patented Oct. 9, 1951 U ll? ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F0IDING--GRIBI Leoalilqftman, Cos. Cob, Qonn.

Application-June 2, 1949," Serial No. 96,693 4-Qlaims. (ore-9s).

1.. This. invention relates to, a folding crib, and .haszforan object to provide a. device of this'character; of simple. and yet stronglrigid; construction when in the set-up .or extended position, and: one

which may be easily and quickly folded with a have devised the construction illustrated intheaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details ofconstruction and arrangement shown, but may embody various: changes and modificationswithin thescope of) the inv ntion.

. In these drawings:

Fig. 1; is a side elevation of the-device extended and: set 111 for use. parts bein hrelgen: away t more clearly show the construction;

Fig-2 is an end view thereof look n a om h rig-ht of Fi .1;

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the device partly collapsedorfolded; I

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the device fully collapsed or folded, and V 5 is a detail section on an enlar eir scale substantially on line 55 of Fig. 2;.

El e device comprises-two endvframes Ill-each including two upright side members. or posts H 3 -.f.-0rmin supp r eg which are laterally spaced and connectedby three crossemembers l2, l- 3 and. [4, one. adjacent their lower ends, one at an intermediate point and, the: other adjacent their upper ends. The ends of these crossmem hers ar e ur d tothe sid me ber hynynitahleiipin 0r cQnnectior-is. The wo! endirames areccnnected by two.- sets Qi- .tm mbeliss 15., eac set comp i n a pa rwof. r ssedmembers pi ally o nec ed. gether a n; intermediate point IB wh retheye and e h-:pivotallv 0 e nested. at i s lawer end te-a bracket 1 a. ca d, at l8, each f. these hracketebeine: se ured adjacent the lower end. of. one of the upright frame members .I l. and; preferably: on the; inner sides. f th s fram members. These brackets can be. merely flat pieces of; sheet metal of; it able thickness or gauge. At -theirupseteds ers t5 :attheircnt and rear sides at the device: are can nected by a crossbar- I9, and each of the crossed Side members I5 is also connected by a preferably flat. link-20' to the side members ll. Each link 20. is: pivoted .toitsmember l5 at 2| through a pin and. slot-connection, the slot being an elon- "member H- at the proper height above the lower end of this member.

Mounted on the cross bars 9'is a foldable crib of flexible material 25, preferably of canvas. or similar material. This comprises four upright side and end walls 26 and 21 respectively anda connecting bottom. wall 28:. The upper ends. 29

:of' the end walls 211 are-folded over the transverse bars l'9 and are preferably detachably secured thereto by any suitable means, such, for exampie, asithesnap buttons 30. The bottom wall 28 is made with two pockets 3|, as shown in Fig. 1'. That isthe'bottomwall isa double wall comprising the upper and lower: canvas members 32 and 33 stitched transversely at the center 34' andat their. opposite side edges but not at the ends 36, andthen stiffening-elements 35, such, for exam-- ple-,- as'plywood or the like, are inserted in these pockets-through the open opposite ends 36. This flexible and. foldable crib supports a blanket or small mattress for the child and keeps itfrom saggingi -n the-middle, or that is, so that it retains the end: and side walls in an upright position when'in use, as shown in-Figs. 1 and 2.

As. previously stated, the normal or-open position is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and this is the normal position of use. To close the device, the operator merely grasps the twocross bars l-9 from one side of the device, as either, from the front or rear, and preferably in about the center, as ndicatedby the arrow 31, and draws the two bars l9 upwardly and inwardly toward eachv other, as indicaiedby the. arrows 38. in. Fi This raws the two. end framesv in. together r toward each other as-indicated F gs. 3 an W he con.- nectin crcseside mem ers. 5 betw en them.

movement being; permitted by the elongatedslot the positing ,cf hier 1... When this. pcsitien bers canvas or cloth top or shade may be removed the cross bars 19 engage the inner side of the upright frame members I l 'above the brackets 24 as the bars l9 are made long enough to overlap these end frame members, and they with the links 20 make a very rigid supporting structure. In fact, when the device is in the open position it is a very strong and rigid structure which will readily hold several hundred pounds of weight. The frame members are preferably of wood, but of course may be made of metal if preferred.

It will be evident from the above that the side members I I of the end frames are extended above the foldable crib portion and at the top may support a cloth or canvas sunshade or top 39.

This comprises a top wall M] and side and end walls Al and 42 stitched together at the corners so that the side and end walls depend at right angles to the top wall, and it can be set at its corners over the upper ends of the upright corner members H of the end frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This forms a sunshade or protection from showers for the child in the crib, and also may form a supporting base for an overallmosquito netting. This top may merely fit snugly over the upright ends of the corner members H, or, if desired, rings (not shown) maybe stitched on the inside adjacent the corners for tie-cords for tying the device to the corner mem- II. Before collapsing the device, this portion to the amount of material used, so that it is of light weight and will not be expensive to fabricate, yet forms a very effective and safe crib for the child, and may be very quickly and easily folded or collapsed by a single operation so as to take up a minimum of space either for transportation or storage purposes, and may be as easily expanded to the set-up or position of use with as simple an operation. The top or shade is also of very simple and effective construction which may be easily and quickly applied to the set-up device or removed therefrom and will provide effective protection to thechild in the crib from the sun or a sudden shower. The canvas or crib portion may be easily and quickly detached from the frame structure for cleaning, renewal or repairs, and may be as quickly re-applied to it.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim: V

1. A foldable crib comprising a supporting frame structure comprising a pair of upright end frames, connecting side members pivotally connected to the end frames permitting said end frames to be shifted to a side by side position to collapse the frame, cross bars connecting the side members adjacent the end frames, a crib made of flexible fabric with the bottom wall comprising upper and lower thicknesses of said material stitched together at a transverse line at substantially the center of said bottom providing pockets open at the opposite ends of said bottom wall adjacent the end walls, and substantially rigid removable through the open ends of said pockets.

2. A foldable crib including a supporting frame structure comprising a pair of upright end frames, each end frame including laterally spaced upright members forming supporting corner posts and legs, the corner members at both the front and rear of the frame being connected by a pair of crossed side members pivotally connected at an intermediate point, the lower ends of the crossed members being pivotally connected to the corner members adjacent their lower ends, links connecting the upper ends of the crossed members to the corner members, said links being each pivoted at one end to one of said members and connected to the other at the opposite end by a sliding pivotal connection, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of opposed crossed side members, a foldable crib comprising upright side and end walls, means securing the end walls of said crib to the cross bars, the corner posts of the end frames extending above the cross bars, and a protective top of fabric including a top Wall and depending upright side and end walls, said protective top seated at its corners over the upper ends of said corner posts.

3. A foldable crib including a supporting frame structure comprising a pair of upright end frames, each end frame including laterally spaced upright members forming supporting corner posts and legs, the corner members at both the front and rear of the frame being connected by a pair of crossed side members pivotally connected at an intermediate point, the lower ends of the crossed members being pivotally connected to the corner members adjacent their lower ends, links connecting the upper ends of the crossed members to the corner members, said links being each pivoted at one end to one of said members and connected to the other at the opposite end by a sliding pivotal connection, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of opposed crossed side members, a foldable crib comprising upright side and end walls, means securing the endwalls of said crib to the cross bars, the crib being made of flexible fabric with the bottom wall comprising upper and lower thicknesses of this material stitched together transversely at substantially the center of the bottom, and stiffening boards of substantially rigid material between said thicknesses at opposite sides of said stitching and extending to substantially the end walls.

4. A foldable crib including a supporting frame structure comprising a pair of upright end frames, each end frame including laterally spaced upright members forming supporting corner posts and legs, the corner members at both the front and rear of the frame being connected by a pair of crossed side members pivotally connected at an intermediate point, the lower ends of the crossed members being pivotally connected to the corner members adjacent their lower ends, links connecting the upper ends of the crossed members to the corner members, said links being each pivoted at one end to one of said members and connected to the other at the opposite end by a sliding pivotal connection, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of opposed crossed side members, a foldable crib comprising upright side and end Walls, means securing the end walls of said crib to the cross bars, the crib being made of flexible fabric with the bottom wall comprising upper and lower thicknesses of said material secured together at a transverse line at substantially the center of said bottom providing pockets open at the opposite ends of said bottom walladjacent the end wall, and substantially 5 rigid stifiner panels in said pockets extending from substantially said center to the end walls REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name 7 Date 7 Brown July 3, 1928 Brown June 24, 1930 Thornton-Norris Oct. 18, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Sweden June 25, 1940 

